a reader-driven fiction serial

3.4

Magic class. Nilien swallowed. “You already know how to do something like…” she gestured at her food, “and I don’t know anything, anything at all, about magic.”

“It’s because you’re a We—” Istore coughed at a pointed glare from Lorque. “A Wild Rune. We’ve all been here for years and you’re just starting. That’s why some people are against Wild Runes.”

“Some people?” Augustin shot Istore a glare.

“I’m just explaining. She knows that she’s behind, and she’s going to have to work very hard to catch up. That’s not fair to her, is it?”

“I think not dying is a fair trade-off for having to do some extra classwork!” Augustin shook his head. “Not fair…”

Nilien, however, was forced to admit, if only to herself, that Istore had a point. She looked down at Ember. “You could’ve given me some sort of primer class instead of complaining about my color choices,” she hissed. “I’m going to end up at the bottom of my class.”

But, as the boy said, alive at the bottom of your class. Ember looked entirely unrepentant. You’ll learn. And I have no problem using my own magic. I’m certain that any human I chose will be equally as skilled with theirs. It dropped its jaw in a parody of a grin.

Nilien huffed in exasperation. “You’re no help at all.”

I am exactly as much help as you need. You needed to be alive. Wanted to, I might add. You did not need a “primer course.”

“And how did you know that?” She tried to ignore the amused looks Lorque and her friends were giving her.

That is my job to know.

“Aaargh!” She leaned back, refusing to look at Ember.

“You’ll be fine.” Lorque patted her arm. “You’re doing so well at catching up in everything else. It’ll come easily to you, you’ll see.”

“I’ve already taken history classes and science classes! I’ve never taken a class in magic before. I’ve hardly even had it mentioned in other classes!” She put her face in her hands and sighed again.

“That’s why Reinmonte is a better school,” Augustin offered. He leaned over the table and patted her arm gently. “You’ll learn everything, and it will be fine.”

“I read a book,” Riva started, “that said that sometimes Wild Runes learned magic faster. Because it’s more instinctual for you, and less learned.” She smiled so brightly, Nilien wasn’t entirely sure if she was trying to be helpful or being very insincerely mean.

She came to the decision to pretend that Riva was being serious, whether or not she was. It seemed an easier direction and one more likely to end up in a positive manner. “Thank you, that’s really quite reassuring. Maybe I’ll be able to check for my own poison quite soon.”

“Oh, come on.” The voice came from behind Riva, someone from the next table over. They turned to face Nilien, a pale peach mark standing out on their cheek. “Nobody’s really trying to kill you, that’s ridiculous.”